Channel-brick



A. HARDONCOURT, Jn.

CHANNEL BRICK.

APPLICATION man JAN-5,19IB- Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

will insure moistureproofness.

' construction.

ARTHUR HARDON'COURT, JR, 0F RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK.

CHANNEL-BEIGE.

Specification of letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Application filed January 5, 1918. Serial No. 210,417.

7 '0 all whom it may concern i Be it known that I, ARTHUR HARDON- COURT, Jr., a subject of the Emperor of Austria, and resident of Richmond Hill, county of Queens, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Channel- Bricks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention is an improved type of channel brick and wall construction, and the objects of the invention are to improve the channel brick and enable a more satisfactory and economical wall construction to be made.

The channel brick herein shown is of the type illustrated in my prior Patent No. 1,068,338, issued July 22, 1913, the present form of the channel brick being of novel type and so constructed as to enable a hollow or twin wall structure to be built which I so construct the novel form of my channel brick shown herein that no transverse material extends continuously from one wall face to the other, in addition to the interrupted mortar joint, which is characteristic of my channel brick inventions. Heretofore a great objection against any continuous unit building block, brick, or the like, extending from face toface of a wall, has been that moisture was apt'to traverse such continuous material. This difficulty was most detrimental in the case of concrete blocks or the like, wherein moisture actually traveled across and through the block from one face to the other, and proved an almost insurmountable objection against concrete block In the use of burned clay, this difliculty was greatly lessened, but was not entirely eliminated, even hard burned brick being somewhat porous. Even if not porous. nor capable of moisture traversing the block from one wall to the other, the continuous unit wall structure presented the further difliculty of transferring extremes of temperature-the outside cold surface in winter penetrating through the continuous material of the brick to such an extent as to cause moisture to condense upon the inner face of the wall. This difiiculty is similar to the wellknown phenomenon of a pitcher of ice water, when brought into a warm room, the moisture in the a1r condensing and forming moisture on the outside of the pitcherthe transmission of temperature from one side to the other being as disastrous in effect as if the moisture actually traversed the block. My invention prevents this difiiculty in a channel brick by providing a tortuous path for the brick material extending from face to face of the wall, and also by providing this tortuous path leading upwardly from each face of the Wall. In addition I may provide air spaces opposite the connecting web portions of the brick, so as to still further eliminate the possibility of moisture traversing the block.

A further feature of my present novel type of channel brick consists in the saving of mortar in the wall structures, while still saving weight in the brick and also saving the brick material. The saving of Weight in this type of building construction is most important in order to economize cost of transportation, ease of handling and the like, While it is also desirable and important to save the use of mortar while still providing a suflicient mortar mass to withstand the load carrying strains to which the wall may besubjected, and also to unify, solidify and bond the vertically extending parts of the channel brick in each wall section together, and maintain the mortar on the top edges of the riblike portions in each wall section. My channel brick may be made with or without an interlocking lug, it can be easily and readily manufactured in the usual die machine, is preferably made in the form of a double block for economy and efliciency in manufacture, drying, kiln burning, and transporting; while the brick has all the usual advantages of a channel brick, being light in weight, having provision for a hand-hold so that it can be handled by the mason with one hand, extends from face to face 'of the wall, is intended to interlock with and match up with common brick at corners, piers, windows and the like, and gives the finished exterior appearance of solid brick.

An additional important feature s to strengthen and brace the outer face or rib of the wall sections at each side of the channel brick, and to effect this bracingand strengthening without adding undue we1ght. I accomplish this by providing a braclng or reinforcing portion separated from the outer rib orface by a recess, as by PIOV'lCling a core in the brick die during manufacture of the channel brick. Preferably also I utilize this bracing and reinforcing portion to partially fill up the mortar recess, to save mortar, and furthermore I preferably form this bracing and mortar-saving member as a load-carrying device, giving a perpendicular rib-like form. This enables the mortar within the recess to carry a full load and in fact provides three, all vertically extending load-carrying, rib-like members in each wall section, the bracing and mortar displacing member being substan-' tially in alinement with the interlocking rib of the super-imposed brick, where such an interlocking is used. Therefore my improved channel brick thus provides substantially three ribs or rib-like members in alinement, in each Wall section without adding undue weight.

Referring to the drawings, wherein two forms of the present'channel brick are illustrated: I

Figure 1 is a view, in cross section, of a double block from which two channel brick are made, this double form being economical for use in the die machine;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of one of the channel brick split from the double channel block of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of a twin wall structure, made of this type of channel brick;

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of double block,

Fig. 5 being a cross sectional view of this type of channel brick; and

Fig. 6 being a fragmentary perspective view of a wall structure made with the channel brick of Fig. 5.

As shown in the drawings, the channel brick of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 consists in a horizontal or connecting web or body portion 1, joining the vertically extending pairs of spaced riblike members 2 and 3 in one wall face, with the similar sections 4 and 5 of the other wall face. In this form of channel brick, each of the wall sections is provided with a depending interlocking lug 6, 6, each formed on the connecting portion 7 uniting the spaced ribs 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 respectively. The web 1 unites the wall sections at points intermediate the height of the ribs 2 and 4, thus providing a lower channel 8 and an upper channel 9 longitudinally in the channel brick, the wall sections 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 each forming mortar receiving channels as indicated at 10, 10. In order to conserve mortar I preferto narrow the mortar receiving channels 10, 10, by providing a projecting ledge 11 extending into each channel, each ledge being preferably united with the outermost riblike member, viz, 3 and 5, in order to strengthen these wall faces, this constituting a brace and reinforcement therefor. With the wall faces 3 and 5 thus thickened, I core the same, leaving recesses 12, 12 therein, in order to lighten the brick. These recesses 12, 12, are, moreover, in position whereby they will tend to breakup or distort the moisture transmitting capacity of the brick, as well as acting in a similar manner on the temperature transmitting capacity of the brick. Furthermore, the web 1 is raised and spaced sufiiciently so that the channels 8, 9, also tend to break up any transfer of moisture, as well as transfer of temperature, from one wall face to the other, thus giving in a large degree a wall structure with the material extending from face to face of the wall, in a zig-zag or tortuous line.

Despite the zig-zag form of the completed block, it is readily manufactured and maintained in shape during drying and kiln burning, by reason of the double or block form shown in Fig. 1, the ribs being scored as indicated at 15, 15, which enable the double block to be readily split into two channel brick. This is usually done just before the brick are built into the wall, and prevents damage to the riblike members durin manufacture and transportation.

hen built into a wall, as shown in Fig. 3, this type of channel brick greatly conserves the mass of mortar 16, necessary to bond the pairs of ribs in each wall, both the longitudinal ledges 11 and interlocking lugs 6 displacing a large amount of mortar, while still leaving a sufiicient mortar mass to take up the load carrying strains and to hold the mortar on the tops of the ribs 2, 3, 4 and 5. It is substantially impossible for moisture to .be driven through this wall, the central air space 7 interrupting the horizontal mortar course 16, preventing moisture from driving therethrough, and the zigzag or tortuous form in which the brick material is connected from face to face of the wall prevents transmission or conduction therethrough. The raised position of the central connecting web 1 eliminates all danger of moisture which may have permeated the porous portions of the brick faces from reaching the height of the connecting web. Furthermore, the exterior wall face of each brick is considerably strengthened and reinforced by the thickness of material incident to the ledge construction 11, the cored recess 12 not being sufficient to materially weaken the outer ribs 3 and 5.

In the form shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, similar advantages are secured, the spaced pairs of ribs 20 and 21 on one side, and 22 and 23 on the other being connected by a raised web 24 forming channels 25 and 26 corresponding to the channels 8 and 9 in the type shown'in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. I prefer to make the outer ribs 21 and 23 relathe same, leaving an inner recess 12, 12 in each. Mortar receiving channels 29 on the upper part and a mortar recess or interlock 27, 27, on the lower part are shown in this form, the connecting portion 28 uniting the pairs of spaced ribs, being sufficiently thick to receive these recesses.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the lugs 6 may be clipped off, when necessary 'to overlap solid brick at corners, piers, and

section, and of still further importance in preventing any substantial mass of mortar from being pressed out from the mortar recesses during building construction, a small amount of mortar filling up the space level, whereas the deep channel would collect a large mass of mortar. In certain forms of channel brick, a considerable waste of mortar has been occasioned during the building of a wall by the masons applying mortar in and over the recesses which is apt to be spread over into the air recess. By raising the connecting web 1 or 24, near the top of the wall sections, or even at the top, the removal of mortar accidentally deposited or spread above the webs 1 and 2 4 in the air space "is facilitated and thus this waste of mortar is prevented. In the broader aspect of my invention, however, I do not wish to be limited to having the connecting web either at the top, at the bottom, or intermediate the height of the wall section, the channel a brick with anexitra thick outer riblike member, being distinctly new in this art and of value. Such an outer riblike portion of extra thickness prevents all danger of the necting central web, irrespective of the relative vertical position of said web.

A further important featureof the extra thick outer rib and of the non-alined transverse clay material through the wall built of my novelform of interlocking channel brick, consists in thefact that such a wall is practically bullet proof. A high power rifle bullet readily penetrates an 8 wall of common solid brick, the friction created by the bullet passing therethroughcausing the bullet to set fire to inflammable material within the wall. As soon as such a bullet emerges from the brick, while it is heated, it flattens out on striking another surface and sets fire thereto, if inflammable. Such a high speed bullet, on penetrating one of the wall sections of my non-alined clay material, no matter from whatposition, will always pass through an air space or a mortar area, thus permitting the bullet to expand and flatten against the next brick surface, and when thus expanded it will nose and stop, since its penetrating shape and capacity is destroyed. Consequently my present wall construction is essentially a bullet proof 8" wall, having one or more spaces or points in which a bullet will expand after it has passed through the outer wall face and is sufficiently heated by the friction thereof to expand in. the next spot permitted. Consequently the advantages incident to a non-continuous brick-material,

non-continuous mortar joint, and non-continuous path, through any material of equal density throughout, thus provides a bullet proof wall.

My invention is further described and defined in the form of claims as follows:

1. A channel brick of the kind described, comprising a plurality of vertically extending wall sections and a horizontal web joining said sections, each wall. section consisting in' a pair of spaced vertically extending rib-like members inolosing a mortar recess, and a bracin member extending from one of the ribs 0 each pair and projecting into the mortar recess.

2. A channel brick of the kind described, comprising a plurality of vertically extending wall sections, a horizontal connecting web joining said sections intermediate their height, each wall section consisting in a pair of spaced vertically extending rib-like members inolosing the mortar recess, having a vertically extending lug opposite said recess, and a longitudinally extending bracing member partially filling the mortar recess and united to the outer rib of each pair constituting a longitudinal ledge.

, 3. A channel brick of the kind described, comprising a plurality of vertically extending wall sections, arranged in pairs of riblike members, a horizontal connecting web joining the inner ribs of said pairs, each pair of rib-like members inolosing a mortar channel and a bracing member for the outer rib of each pair projecting into the mortar channel whereby the mortar-receiving capacity of the channel is reduced.

I 4:. A channel brick of the kind described, comprising a plurality of vertically extending wall sections, arranged in pairs of riblike members, a horizontal connecting web joining the inner ribs of said pairs, each pair of rib-like members inolosing a mortar channel, and an integral part of the outer rib extending from adjacent the top of the rib to the base and inolosing an air space.

5. A channel brick of the kind described,

comprising a plurality of vertically extending wall sections, united by a horizontal connecting web joining said sections intermediate their height, having a channel above and below said web, each wall section consisting in a pair of spaced vertically extending rib-like members, inclosing a mortar recess, and having a vertically extending lug opposite said recess, the outer rib of each pair being relatively thicker than its adjacent inner rib and having a longitudinal ledge partially filling the mortar recess,

said outer rib being cored at the thickened portion provided by saidlongitudinal ledge.

6. Hollow wall construction formed of a plurality of super-imposed channel bricks adapted to be laid horizontally, each brick having a pair of wall. sections united by a horizontal web extendingacross the hollow space in the wall, each wall section including a pair of spaced rib-like members forming a mortar receiving channel and a riblike bracing member for the outer rib of each pair, partially filling said channel.

7. Hollow wall construction formed of a plurality of super-imposed channel bricks adapted to be laid horizontally, each brick having a pair of wall sections united by a horizontal web extending across the hollow space in the wall, each wall section including a pair of spaced rib-like members forming a mortar receiving channel and a ribclike bracing member for the outer rib of each pair, partially filling said channel and having a mortar-receiving ledge, providing three vertically extending rib-like leadcarrying members in each wall section.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR HARDONCOURT, J R.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. FISH, M. T. KELLY. 

